Preoperative Testing Could Be a Waste of Time and Money

Jan. 19, 2000 (Washington) -- Whether prompted by fear or good clinical judgment, physicians routinely order billions of dollars' worth of preoperative tests for patients, particularly for older individuals undergoing common procedures such as cataract surgery. But those tests don't seem to matter a bit when it comes to patient outcomes, and, according to the co-author of a study published in the Jan. 20 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, they should no longer be performed.

"The statement [we] want to make is that people need preoperative histories and physicals, but that routine testing does not produce better outcomes," co-author James M. Tielsch, PhD, tells WebMD. He adds that the research study was purposely designed to "provide more convincing evidence to change practice."

The research, conducted by Oliver D. Schein, MD, MPH, Tielsch, and colleagues from the Dana Center for Preventive Ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, is the first large study to assess the clinical value of tests that are customarily ordered prior to surgery. And although the surgery specifically examined was cataract removal, a co-author and another prominent researcher in the field say the research is applicable to preoperative tests for a host of other surgeries, as long as an adequate history and physical exam are performed prior to the procedures.

"I think there is little doubt on our team that [the findings] certainly apply to a large amount of ophthalmic surgeries," such as glaucoma surgery, some types of retinal surgery, and most corneal surgeries, Tielsch says. Similarly, no routine preoperative testing is necessary for surgeries in which there is little blood loss, and when local anesthesia is used, with or without IV sedation, says Tielsch, a professor of international health who holds joint appointments at the Johns Hopkins schools of medicine and public health.

The investigators hope to convene meetings this spring with internists, anesthesiologists, and surgeons to develop guidelines based on the findings. Initially, they will concentrate on eye surgeries, he says, and likely will address what effect different modes of anesthesiology management may have on adverse events.